School officials may pay activity fees for low-income students

Ken Dixon

Published 1:08 pm, Wednesday, May 8, 2013

HARTFORD -- Public school kids whose families might not afford activity fees could have the charges picked up by their local school boards, under a bill pushed through the House of Representatives today.

In a largely partisan 86-55 vote, the Democratic majority said the bill would permit local or regional boards to develop fee-exemption policies for students who show their families cannot afford payment of fees for extracurricular activities.

The legislation would also prohibit local school boards without such exemption policies from charging fees to students who cannot afford it.

Six Democrats sided with Republicans against the bill, which next heads to the Senate, which has until the June 5 adjournment date to act.

"This bill is addressing a problem we know exists," said Rep. Andrew Fleischmann, D-West Hartford, co-chairman of the Education Committee. "The burden of inability to pay falls on the students."

Republican lawmakers led by House Minority Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr., R-Norwalk, spoke against the legislation during a two-hour debate. "We don't need this piece of legislation, especially one so vague," he said, noting that a similar proposal failed last year. "I'm not sure that it still isn't a solution looking for a problem."

Nonpartisan legislation staff estimates that the additional cost to local school districts could reach $5,000 a year. But Cafero, during the debate with Fleischmann, pointed out that school-sanctioned events such as proms could result in many students asking for the price of $100 admission costs.